Help me get the buggers

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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:31 pm

Hi,

I run a dating website for a very vulnerable population (mentally ill). I check all incoming IP addresses and automatically delete profiles from West Africa and Russia. I have a few questions

1. Is there any way I can get back at these scammers or should I just delete them and move on?

2. What other locations than W. Africa and Russia should I automatically not accept? Should I delete all Satellite connections? I've also been told that a lot of these Africans route somehow thru Israel.

3. My IP checking software seems somewhat unreliable. Could someone suggest a better IP checker?

Thanks,

Jim

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:38 pm

Hello and welcome. The type of lad who wants to take advantage of your clients deserves something bad for his troubles.

You could do worse than checking out our Love/dating scams forum for ideas, just dont bait direct from your site, or use any real life info, and use an alias and an email that strips your headers.

Satellite connections do come via Israel, try this for a good IP tracer. You only get a few free goes a day, unless you subscribe.

http://www.ip-adress.com/ipaddresstolocation/

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:48 pm

Hi Jim. welcome here, getting back at them, that's what we do, but I would leave the relation with your website out of the game.
I use http://whatismyipaddress.com/staticpages/index.php/lookup-ip and http://www.komar.org/cgi-bin/ip_to_country.pl.
As this is an existing problem try these guys, they have a program that you can run for a free trial period http://www.nextwebsecurity.com/LocationTools.asp Can't find the right link now, but is somewhere on their site.
If you begin with checking them better you will block a few real members, so give them an easy way back in advance, before it happens.
If you need help, got a bit of experience there, but not to everyones satisfaction, ask Began Steele (looker sites) or Amerdos (same site) then get confirmation of a mod (Sheboppe) so you know the whole story.
I have a long list of bad IP# build up overtime and willing to share.
linky to get a mentor and then here
linky something to read while you're waiting for your mentor Smile

CU

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:06 pm

Hi jimborooski, welcome here.

Do you get sign-up addies when scammers join your site? If so, you could post them on an anti-scam site like www.scamwarners.com. That might help their victims identify scammers if they get a hit on your list in a google search. There is a love scams section here.

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:42 pm

Quote:

What other locations than W. Africa and Russia should I automatically not accept?

I don't know that any location should be automatically rejected actually.

I may be over-stepping my position here, but I'd guess that the majority of people from the two regions you mentioned are not connected to scams in any way at all, and you might be turning away decent traffic. It's a known fact that those areas are "hot spots" for scammers, but it's also a very known fact that scammers come from everywhere except Antarctica (that I know of). Many scammers do use satellite providers, but I'm not very well versed as to which ones - or even how they work for that matter. If you block enough regions, you may well end up doing your site more harm than good.

I'm not trying to get all holy and preachy with you here of course, and I'm certainly not trying to tell you how to run your site. To me scammers are a minor irritant and a source of entertainment, but I realize that I don't have to deal with them on the same scale as you do. Just my two cents worth! Welcome to the Eater. Very Happy

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:43 pm

^^Good point. My suggestion above only really makes sense if their conduct confirms that they are scammers.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:40 am

Valid point that not all traffic from West Africa and Russia is scam traffic, but it's a numbers thing - if it's a service used mostly by (say) Americans, but getting dozens of Russian scammers when the site isn't really suitable, then I say block them.

I'd suggest you just redirect those users to a special page saying something like "I'm sorry I automatically blocked your application, sadly your connection comes from an area with a lot of false and improper sign-ups. If you feel you've been unfairly blocked, please email me all the details for your application, along with your photograph, passport scan, contact telephone number and details of who referred you to the site, and I'll be happy to add you myself. I'm sorry to have to do this, but it's in the interest of all bona fide members, potentially yourself included!"

That should make it too much hassle for scammers and get them to move on, but potential real members will email you.

My thoughts, anyway Smile

PS those geographical services are very very crude tools - visit any site from anywhere using Opera Mini (on your phone) and they'll assume you're in Oslo Wink

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:14 am

jimborooski,
You have identified that many scammers come from West Africa (vast area) and Russia; two places with massive populations.
However, the proportion of scammers per head of population in those areas is probably the same as that in other well known scammer hotspots like the UK, Spain. Holland, Canada, Romania, and other countries. (in no particular order)

Rather than suggest that someone from a particular area should be a suspect, (and blocking their IP) why don't you try to educate your site membership to recognise the various types of scam they may be subjected to.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:53 am

I'd ban those entire regions, especially if the site is geared primarily toward other regions. The solution posed by manbiteslion seems fair. After all, on most dating sites, I'd imagine at least 99% of the members from Nigeria are scammers, for instance.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:54 am

You might want to set up a few accounts on your site and pretend you are those people so you can bait them using those characters. If the same people are being baited from several accounts on the same site it should tie up their resources and keep them away from potential victims. Just a thought.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:01 am

I think the solution here lies with the moderating on your site. Scrutinise the content of the new members posts. Using that and the IP together you should quickly be able ascertain if they are up to no good.

You could come up with some reason known only to you to lump them altogether on their own 'special' forum where only they can post, then just sit back and enjoy.